01 Scalars and Vectors

Scalars and Vectors
Quantities in physics are divided to…
Scalar Vector
The quantities which are completely
The quantities which are completely
specified by their magnitude (a
specified by their magnitude (a
number and a unit associated with it)
number and a unit associated with it),
and direction, are called vector
are called scalar quantities.
quantities.
Examples: Moment of force – Force -
Examples: Distance – Speed – Time
Displacement – Velocity -
– Resistance – Energy.
Acceleration
Distance
It is the path followed by the body during its motion.
It is a scalar quantity. S.I. unit of distance is meter.
Displacement
It is the shortest distance from the initial point to the final point in the motion
of the body.
S.I. unit of displacement is meter.
It is a vector quantity. The direction of the displacement is always directed
from initial point to the final point.
Speed
It is the distance covered in unit time. It is a scalar quantity. It is measured in
m/s.
Speed = Distance / Time
or
v=s/t
The Average speed of the object can be determined by using the following
relation
Average speed = Total distance covered / Total time taken
Velocity
The velocity of a body is a vector quantity and helps to determine how fast
or slow a body is moving in a given direction.
Velocity is also defined as "Time rate of change of displacement" or "Speed
of a body in a particular direction".
In SI Units velocity is measured in meters per second (m/s), the same as the
unit of speed.
Uniform speed
If a body covers equal distances in equal time intervals, however small the
interval may be, then its speed is said to be uniform speed.
A car moving at constant speed as long as its motion remains unchanged
Graphs
It is a pictorial form of data.
In IGCSE Physics, we always plot the graph between two sets of values (2D
graph)
Independent set of value is always taken along x-axis.
Dependent set of value is always taken along y- axis.
Important Note: If graph is straight line and passes through the origin then
the quantities along both the axes are proportional to each other.
Distance - time graph
Time always runs horizontally (along x-axis).
Distance always runs vertically (along y-axis).
The slope or gradient of distance time graph gives us speed.
Speed is a scalar quantity. The unit of speed is m / s.
Displacement - time graph
Time always runs horizontally (along x-axis).
Distance always runs vertically (along y-axis).
The slope or gradient of displacement - time graph give us velocity.
Velocity is a vector quantity. It is measured in m / s.
Speed - time graph
The slope or gradient of speed - time graph gives us acceleration.
Acceleration is a vector quantity. The unit of accleration is m / s2.
The area under the speed time - graph gives us distance
Distance is a scalar quantity. The unit if distance is meters (m).

Acceleration
A body moving with a variable (changing) velocity possesses acceleration.
Acceleration can be defined as, "the time rate of change of velocity of a

body" or "the change in velocity of a body in unit time".
If the speed of body increases , its acceleration is positive and it is produced

in the direction of the motion of the body.
On the other hand , if the speed of the body decreases, its acceleration is
negative and is produced opposite to the direction of the motion of the body.
The negative acceleration is also called deceleration or retardation.
Acceleration is also produced in case of change of the direction of motion.
Uniform acceleration
A body is said to be moving with a uniform acceleration if its velocity

changes by equal amounts in equal intervals of time however small the
intervals may be.
The uniform acceleration is generally denoted by a.
On the speed – time graph the uniform acceleration is represented by

straight line
Acceleration due to gravity
Earth pulls all the objects towards its center. This force exerted by the earth
on other objects is called gravity.
The force of gravity produces uniform acceleration in the bodies falling

freely. This acceleration is called acceleration due to gravity and denoted by
the letter "g".
It is approximately 9.81 m / s2 (in IGCSE we can use 10 m / s2) on the

surface of the earth.
Acceleration - Examples
Example:
A train moving with a velocity of 10 m/s accelerates uniformly to a velocity of

30 m/s in 10 s. Find the acceleration of the train.
Solution:
Change of velocity = Δv = 30 m/s - 10 m/s = 20 m/s
Time taken = Δt =10s
Acceleration = a =?
a = Δv / Δt = 20 / 10 = 2 m / s2
Acceleration - Examples
Example:
Find retardation produced when a car moving at a velocity of a 108 km/h

slows down uniformly to 54 km/h in 5 s
Solution:
Change of velocity = Δv = (54 km/h) - (108km/h) = - 54 km/h
In SI units' velocity is expressed in m/s therefore,
Δv = (-54 * 1000 m) / 60*60 = -15 m/s (Conversion from km/h to m/s)
Time taken = Δt = 5s
a =?
Using a = Δv / Δt
We get
a = (-15 m/s) / 5 s = -3 m/s2
The negative sign indicates that " a" is retardation or deceleration.

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Scalars and Vectors

Quantities in physics are divided to…

Time always runs horizontally (along x-axis).

Distance always runs vertically (along y-axis).

The slope or gradient of distance time graph gives us speed.

Speed is a scalar quantity. The unit of speed is m / s.

Displacement - time graph

Time always runs horizontally (along x-axis).

Distance always runs vertically (along y-axis).

The slope or gradient of displacement - time graph give us velocity.

Velocity is a vector quantity. It is measured in m / s.

Speed - time graph

The slope or gradient of speed - time graph gives us acceleration.

Acceleration is a vector quantity. The unit of accleration is m / s2.

The area under the speed time - graph gives us distance

Distance is a scalar quantity. The unit if distance is meters (m).

A body moving with a variable (changing) velocity possesses acceleration.

Acceleration can be defined as, "the time rate of change of velocity of a

If the speed of body increases , its acceleration is positive and it is produced

The negative acceleration is also called deceleration or retardation.

Acceleration is also produced in case of change of the direction of motion.

A body is said to be moving with a uniform acceleration if its velocity

The uniform acceleration is generally denoted by a.

On the speed – time graph the uniform acceleration is represented by

Acceleration due to gravity

The force of gravity produces uniform acceleration in the bodies falling

It is approximately 9.81 m / s2 (in IGCSE we can use 10 m / s2) on the

A train moving with a velocity of 10 m/s accelerates uniformly to a velocity of

Change of velocity = Δv = 30 m/s - 10 m/s = 20 m/s

Time taken = Δt =10s

Find retardation produced when a car moving at a velocity of a 108 km/h

Change of velocity = Δv = (54 km/h) - (108km/h) = - 54 km/h

In SI units' velocity is expressed in m/s therefore,

Δv = (-54 * 1000 m) / 60*60 = -15 m/s (Conversion from km/h to m/s)

a = (-15 m/s) / 5 s = -3 m/s2

The negative sign indicates that " a" is retardation or deceleration.

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